694th Issue of the LFCA

Welcome to today's edition of Connections Abound. The point of Lost and Found is to level the support playing field. When LFCA works correctly, the newest blogger with the smallest readership can receive the same level of support as the oldest blogger with the largest readership. Anyone can submit news to LFCA by clicking here.

Lost and Found is open to anyone in the infertility, pregnancy loss, adoption, pregnancy-and-parenting after infertility, assisted conception, living child-free after infertility or loss community (as well as anyone I inadvertently missed on that list). Please support the list as well as anyone posting announcements below.

Connections Abound

MISCELLANEOUS NEWS
New

• IComLeavWe: March's IComLeavWe begins on Monday. Get your comment on.
  
• Project: Sunnydaytodaymama is hosting Sharing Hope, a new weekly link collection to share images and words of hope with IF friends and anyone who has some hope to share or is needing hope.
• Missing Blogger: A reader asks: "Does anyone know what happened to Lupron Girl? She used to blog about her chronic pelvic pain. Her last post was 8-24-2009, and she had fainted and went to the ER. I wonder if ANYONE knows about her?"
• Missing Blogger: A reader asks: "I am going through my reader, and realize the reason I have got no new posts from EWeby is b/c her blog went protected. I can't figure out how to reach her. Her and her husband were a GREAT support to me and my husband.
  Anyone blog to her?"
• Media: TLC.com is launching the second season of the online video series, A Conception Story: Six Journeys to Pregnancy (tlc.com/conception). We are looking for six men, women, or couples who are willing to document the emotional passage to pregnancy through monthly video diaries and blogs. Soon-to-be parents will be provided flip video cameras to document their road to pregnancy with frequent video updates. Each participant will also write blogs on TLC.com.
• Blog Move: Baby Steps to Motherhood has a new domain and blog name: Baby Steps to Motherhood... because that is what it is going to take to get there.
• Helpful Post: Calliope is struggling with insurance issues and wants to share her tips about affordable medication with others who may be in the same situation, and also a warning tale about what not to do.
• Activism: Hannah Wept, Sarah Laughed has information about a public hearing: Legislators in Maine have introduced a bill that would mandate infertility treatment coverage by insurance companies. A public hearing that would include personal testimony regarding this bill is scheduled for Wednesday, March 23rd at 1pm in the Maine State House in Augusta. For more information, please see this post at Hannah Wept, Sarah Laughed with complete details.
• Fundraiser: Here We Go Again is doing the March of Dimes walk in honor of Mrs. Spit's Gabriel. Please go support them or join their team!
• Fundraiser: Christa is celebrating her milestone of 200 followers with a raffle to benefit the Lost Stork Foundation. The LSF is a new non-profit organization that will provide financial assistance for couples going through infertility treatments or adoption. Stop by to enter her raffle for a great anti-stress gift set and help a good cause at the same time!
  
• Blog Move: Kathleen at AsFastAsMyBabyCan (http://astastasmybabycan.blogspot.com) is moving her blog to a more private setting. She is now Tippy at TippyAndTidy (http://tippyandtidy.blogspot.com). Please join her in her new setting and come follow along the continuation of her next steps to parenthood.
• Advice: Stacie writes, "Way back in 2007, I got a hateful comment on my blog about how I was the cause of all that has happened to the boys--their prematurity, their complications, all of it. I found a thread that refers to that comment and is linked to my blog in which the posters discussed all kinds of awful things about me, my boys, and IFers in general. Let's just say that several posts refer to my boys' deaths as a better alternative to the life they'd have with me among other hateful dribble. From what I can see, the thread has not been addressed since Dec. 2007, but still. Does anyone have an idea on how to remove the thread from the net? I've tried to figure out how to contact the site, but nothing is clearly written as a way to contact them. Plus, I don't want to rehash all of the old craziness from 3 years ago, so I am somewhat afraid of contacting a moderators (who are all unnamed and could very well be the originator of the thread). I don't want to leave this junk up forever either. Ideas?"
• Activism: The National Women's Law Center will be co-hosting a blog-a-thon on March 23rd with MomsRising to raise awareness about the positive effects that the Affordable Care Act is having on women and their families. They are looking for bloggers to join in and share their thoughts and stories about health care reform, and what it will mean for the future of women and women's health in America.
  
• Online Book Club: Ladies in Waiting Book Club is taking suggestions for its April book selection until March 23rd. Official survey and book selection begins March 24th. Suggest a book and join us for great discussions and blossoming friendships!
  
• Fundraiser: Expecting a Blessing has created a new adoption gift/fundraising project which creates a beautiful keepsake. Please click over to Leave of Love if you're interested.
• Question: Cherbear has a question about IVF cycles that are not proceeded by suppression with either BCP or Lupron. Does anyone have experience with this?
• Daily Creme Update: There are currently 291 participants on the Creme de la Creme list (and 370 total currently in the queue to get on the list). The list is now closed. Make sure to check back often as new posts will go up daily.

Old

• First Time Reading the LFCA: If this is your first time reading the LFCA or you need a refresher about how the LFCA works, please read this post. It has everything you need to know about getting your news in the LFCA.
• Quicklink Resources: Regular ALI Blogroll: If you would like your blog added to the ALI blogroll, please email me directly with your blog url and category pick. More information about being added is contained in that link. Password-Protected Blogroll: If you would like your password-protected blog added to the blogroll, please fill out the form.

NEW BLOGS (started in February or March 2011)

• Will There Be a 4th Musketeer? (secondary IF)
• Waiting for Baby Squishy (pg, GLBT)
• IFSerenityNow (general IF)
• Baby NV (in the beginning)
• Singular Desire (family building while single)
• Things People Said After My Miscarriage (pg loss)
• Life Unexpected (Parenting) (domestic adoption)
• Delayed in DINKville (pg, male factor)
• Tippy & Tidy's Tumultuous Trip to Toddlers (unexplained IF)
  

BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES (celebrate your birthday or blogoversary with the community. Send me date at any point and I'll post them on the correct day)

• Tuesday is Uppercase Woman's blogoversary. Go wish her congratulations.
• Journeywoman's birthday is on Wednesday. Go sing her a little song.
• Future Expectations is celebrating her birthday on Thursday. Go have a slice of cake with her.
• Mama Wannabe's blogoversary is Thursday. Go wish her congratulations.
• Lyrecha's birthday is Friday. Go sing her a little song.
• S of Misconceptions About Conception is celebrating her 40th birthday on March 21. Please stop by and wish her a happy birthday.
• Mrs. Mac is celebrating her 6th wedding anniversary on the 26th of March, the day after her Egg Transfer. Can you guess what she is wishing for?
• Foxy and her lover are celebrating their 7th wedding anniversary on Sunday, March 20th. They are also scheduled for Foxy's egg transfer that same day. send them some loving thoughts!
• More Than Dog Children reached her 500th post!
• Jen celebrated her 32nd birthday on Saturday. Stop by and wish her luck with her upcoming cycle!
• Sara is celebrating her first blogoversary remembering so many doctor appointments and un-answers. She is currently mid-IVF cycle and could use a few extra hugs.
  

LOSS REMEMBRANCES (send in the dates of loss anniversaries and I will post them on the correct day)

• Busted Babymaker will be remembering the Doodles on their loss date on Friday. Please give her support.
  

LOSS ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Please hold Jen in your heart. The baby died and she delivered the baby this weekend. Please give her a lot of comfort as she heals -- both emotionally and physically.
• After experiencing bleeding and weeks in beta hell, her RE has told Hanen her pregnancy is a blighted ovum. She has been left reeling emotionally and could use support.
• Because Two People Fell In Love lost their first child today due to a blighted ovum. An individual from thebump.com posted on my blog that the LFCA was a great place of support after her loss. I am looking for the same.
  

MISCELLANEOUS SUPPORT AND CELEBRATIONS (scary scans, anxious waits, OHSS, and a host of other reasons why these bloggers could use some additional support right now. Also, celebratory retrievals, transfers, and other good news)

• The Childless Mom's blog will be one month old on March 21st. She is telling her PCOS and male infertility journey to her first try of IVF-ICSI. Stop by and see how she's using humor to deal with this roller-coaster.
• On Infertile Ground's family is having a hard month. Liam has been in hospital for RSV and pneumonia, and all 4 kids now have gastro while Sonja and her DH have the flu. Please offer some kind words to get them through.
• Journeywoman is back on her blog after a hiatus--and needs support. Her Dad is in the hospital.
• In the throes of FET#2 injection protocols, Elaine lost her moxie. Finding herself crying over silly little things, she knows she's in for a ride this cycle and could use all the virtual hugs she can get.
• In the Present Moment had a potential adoption not work out as they had hoped and could use some words of comfort and support.
• Another Dreamer at The Unwanted Path is closing in on 4 years of battling IF. She could really use some love while she waits to begin her final cycle.

BEDREST BABES: on bedrest following infertility or loss and needing support. Drop in on them and keep them company. Blurbs running underneath the "new" line are from this week, and the ones above that line will disappear on Sunday. Please do not re-list bedrest blurbs.

• None Today.
  

PREGNANCY ANNOUNCEMENTS AND NEWS

• My Broken Oven just got a BFP!
• Angie from Expectations Revised got her BFP after losing her first son when he was stillborn. Send her some love and support, and let's celebrate!
• Mommy-In-Waiting and HopelesslyTTC finally received a BFP on IVF#4!
• It's twin boys for Uneggsplained!
• Shona has had some very special news - Shona suffers from Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1 and has been going through IVF with PGD to avoid passing the gene on. This is success against the odds, because of the odds.
• It's a boy for One Day!
• Elphabala has her two lines! Please go and wish her congratulations!
• Gwinne had a stellar first beta for her DE cycle, followed by a failure to double. Her RE thinks she might have lost a twin. She could use some support as she waits for beta #3 on Monday.
  

BIRTH AND ADOPTION ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Beverly welcomed Zoe on 3/3. Please go and wish her congratulations!
• After a series of visits, Getting There's new son is finally home to stay! Go leave the new family congratulations and best wishes for a smooth transition.
  
• Danny & Brittany have their VISA for Kinsey and she will be home from Guatemala on Friday! Please go and wish them congratulations on their newly adopted daughter!
  

Read and Support